Spalding Hall, Museum complex in Bardstown, US
Spalding Hall is a three-story brick building in Bardstown housing two distinct museums within its walls. The structure displays symmetrical windows and a centered entrance typical of early 19th-century educational architecture found in Kentucky.
The building was constructed in 1826 as St. Joseph's College, making it the first Catholic college established in Kentucky. It was reconstructed in 1839 following a fire that damaged the original structure.
Two museums share the building today, each telling different aspects of the region's story through artifacts and displays. The space reflects how locals have chosen to preserve both their distilling heritage and broader community history.
You can enter the building through the ground floor entrance and tour both museums during regular opening hours. Plan enough time to see the collections in both sections, as they offer separate and worthwhile exhibits.
During the Civil War, the building temporarily served as a military hospital caring for Union soldiers. This unexpected wartime role shows how the building's purpose shifted dramatically during a critical moment in American history.
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